[size=200][b][color=red]Dick Morrissey It’s Morrissey, Man!
Recorded : 27 April 1961
Label : Fontana
CD Reissue : 1998 (Polydor)
Format : Mp3@320[/color][/b][/size]
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[size=150][color=orangered]Born in Horley, Surrey in 1940, Dick Morrissey went to school in Sutton and was a self-taught musician. He began as a clarinettist in his early teens, but subsequently learned all the saxophones, plus flute. He started work in the jewellery trade but soon turned professional leading his own quartet at the Marquee Club from August, 1960 and later at the Flamingo Club. From the summer of 1961 he did a nine month season in India as part of Ashley Kozak's Quartet that included pianist Harry South.
On returning to the UK he resumed with his own quartet, and for a time he was with Michael Garrick (1963), and the Harry South Big Band. He had developed a sound that was a blend of all the players who had influenced him such as Ben Webster, Lester Young, Stan Getz, Hank Mobley and Sonny Rollins. He was also considerably influenced by Tubby Hayes, but his biggest influence was Charlie Parker. It was Parker's music that set him on the path to playing bebop, music which he loved throughout his life. He is quoted as saying "Parker was a genius - that's all there is to it".He had established himself as leader at Ronnie Scott's club, working with Phil Seamen and Harry South. In 1961 he recorded his first solo album, It's Morrissey Man!
By the mid-60s, though, a newer breed of musician, linked to Ornette Coleman was emerging and before his 30th birthday, he was in danger of dropping off the jazz map, perhaps resigned to a decade or more of studio anonymity. Instead, he adapted his hard, no-nonsense tones to fit various contexts of soul or jazz-rock.
For the next ten years or so until 1985 he worked regularly with Jim Mullen in the Morrissey-Mullen Band playing a highly successful mixture of jazz fusion and funk, without losing sight of their jazz roots. The band only broke up because Morrissey wanted to get back to playing straight bebop, his first love. He also worked with John Burch's quartet. By the late 1980s and early 1990s he was again active as a leader and guesting with various groups.
His work was interrupted by ill health in the 1990s and he fought a long battle with cancer before his death in November, 2000.[/color][/size]
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[size=150][b][color=red]Tracklist :[/color][/b]
01 St Thomas (3:54)
02 Cherry Blue (3:14)
03 A Bench In The Park (3:07)
04 Sancticity (3:27)
05 Mildew (3:00)
06 Puffing Billy (4:23)
07 Gurney Was Here (2:49)
08 Happy Feet (3:08 )
09 Where Is Love (3:58 )
10 Dancing In The Dark (3:38 )
11 Willow Weep For Me (4:50)
12 Jellyroll (3:00)[/size]
[size=150][b][color=red]Personnel:[/color][/b]
Dick Morrissey - tenor
Stan Jones - piano
Malcolm Cecil - bass
Colin Barnes - drums[/size]